


Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear

by dramatic owl (snarky_panda)



Category: Quantum Leap
Genre: Eventual Romance, Female Friendship, First Meetings, Gen, Prequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-12-30 02:14:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18306113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snarky_panda/pseuds/dramatic%20owl
Summary: Donna and Verbena assess the famous new physicist at the project. A first meeting story with a very slight hat tip toThe Lady Eve.





	Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the fluffbingo challenge on dreamwidth for the prompt: Close, and very silly.

They’d chosen to sit at a table in the corner of the cafeteria for lunch that day. Donna had her back to everything, but Verbena, sitting across from her, had a perfect view of the door where Dr. Sam Beckett, Starbright Project’s newest hire whose reputation preceded him, had just entered, surrounded as usual by a group of women who all wanted the chance to talk to him.

“Dr. Beckett hasn’t gotten very far from the door yet,” Verbena reported the action to her. “It’s a mob scene up there.”

“Good thing we came and got lunch early.”

“He can’t get a word in edgewise with anyone. Oh, wait, his lips are moving. He’s actually talking now. With Dr. Manning. I wonder if they’re speaking French together. Maybe Japanese. Everyone else looks confused.”

“Well, Dr. Beckett does speak five languages. Or was it seven.”

“Oh my God, he really is good-looking, Donna. That _Time_ cover didn’t do him justice at all.”

Donna resisted the urge to twist around and see for herself.

“Now he’s trying to get to the burger line. They’re all in his way.” She threw up her hands in mock frustration. “Can’t a man eat in peace? These women just won’t leave him alone.”

Verbena fell silent for a little too long this time. Growing impatient, Donna rummaged through her bag and pulled out a compact mirror and a lipstick.

“Mm-mm-mm, look at that butt.”

Donna giggled. “Bena! You’re engaged.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t look. You know, once he’s made all the rounds and they decide which team to finally assign him to, you may be lucky enough to work with him.”

“I’m leaving at the end of the month.” She began reapplying lipstick, angling the mirror so she could see the action behind her. “We’ll probably miss each other.”

“That’s still a few weeks away, he might work with you before you go. You never know. Don’t tell me that thought doesn’t excite you.”

“Naturally it excites me. He happens to have a brilliant mind.”

Verbena laughed at her. “Brilliant mind, my eye. And what, you really think you look nonchalant and subtle checking him out backwards in that compact mirror?”

“I’m touching up my lipstick.”

“For ten minutes?”

“It has _not_ been ten minutes. It hasn’t even been five minutes.” But she began to laugh too. “Anyway, you were doing a terrible job reporting on the action, I had to take things into my own hands. You have to admit the mirror is inspired.”

She snorted. “You could’ve just changed your seat.”

“That would’ve been too obvious.” Dr. Beckett was moving again and Donna adjusted the mirror. “Look at him. He towers over everyone. Figures he’d be tall on top of everything else.”

“Yep, God gave him everything. Brains, looks, physique. And a nice little cleft in his chin.”

Donna gaped at her. “Now how can you see a cleft in his chin from all the way over here?”

“I can’t, I remember it from the _Time_ cover.” Verbena shook her head pityingly. “Look at the poor helpless boy. He’s oblivious. He has no idea how hot he is. He looks dazed by the whole thing.”

Donna burst into laughter. “Oh my God, Bena. He’s a grown man. He’s the same age as us.” She adjusted the mirror once more to bring Dr. Beckett’s face back into view now that he’d shifted position again. He really was handsome. “Anyway, it looks like he’s got Al there with him now running interference. He’ll be fine.”

“Now that’s an unlikely pair if I’ve ever seen one.”

“Didn’t you hear? Dr. Beckett is the one who bravely interceded between a very drunk Admiral Calavicci and the Vending Machine Menace.”

“God, news really does get around this place fast. I’m one of the project psychiatrists, so of course _I_ heard. I didn’t think you did though.”

“There are no secrets around here. I also heard the powers that be wanted to get rid of Al but Dr. Beckett stopped them.”

Which was really very kind of him, Donna had thought when she learned of it, to stick his neck out to help someone he didn’t even know but could see was in trouble. That alone had already given her a very positive impression of the man.

“And they listened to him, too. For a newbie, he sure has got a lot of clout already.”

“That’s the upside of being a celebrity.”

“Well, I’m glad Al’s got a buddy now. He really needed one.”

“We’re his buddies. Sort of.”

“It’s not the same. We’re chicks.”

Donna rolled her eyes at her friend.

“Speak of the devil,” Verbena said, gesturing.

Al was standing right behind her when she turned around, Dr. Beckett at his side. Donna quickly closed the compact and dropped it and her lipstick back in her bag, hoping they hadn’t heard any of the conversation or seen what she was doing with the mirror. She was going to kill Bena for not warning her sooner that they were approaching. 

“Sam, this is Dr. Donna Elesee, another physicist, and that’s Dr. Verbena Beeks, one of the psychiatrists on staff. This is Dr. Sam Beckett, the new physicist. Mind if we join you ladies?”

He indicated the unoccupied chairs between them and the two women scrambled to collect any stray wrappers and clear table space in those spots. The men each went to one of the empty chairs and set their lunch trays down.

“Looks like you’re already done,” Al noted, taking his seat.

“Actually, we were thinking of getting some tea.”

Verbena nodded agreement. “Yep, just waiting for the mob scene to dissipate.”

“Maybe they should stagger people’s lunch hours,” Dr. Beckett remarked. “It looks like everyone in the building comes in at the exact same time every day.”

“Only since you got here.”

Bena never was one to mince words. Donna stifled a giggle.

“Oh my God,” Al exclaimed, slapping a palm on the table and rolling his eyes. “Everybody on this project has gone completely nutso.”

Dr. Beckett’s confused gaze shifted to Donna and she nodded seriously.

“It’s true. Good thing we have an entire psychiatric team staffed here.”

For a moment he looked stunned, then his expression softened and he grinned at her, hazel eyes twinkling. He had really nice eyes. Kind eyes.

“I didn’t think the two of you were caught up in the insanity.”

“We’re not,” Verbena assured Al. “We’ve been sitting here calmly eating lunch.”

“Uh-huh.”

“You know we’re much too cool for that, Al.” Donna turned and extended her hand to Dr. Beckett. “Welcome, Dr. Beckett. How has your first week been?”

“Sam,” he said, grasping her hand in a firm shake. His manner was warm and open. “A little overwhelming, but good. You’re doing really interesting work here. I’m excited to be a part of it. Maybe I’ll be working with you.”

“Donna is actually leaving at the end of the month,” Al explained. 

“Oh. Where are you going?”

“I’m going to work for a company called Pegasus. Their main headquarters are near Socorro, so I’ll be there for a few weeks for orientation and training. Then I’ll be back up here working at their Santa Fe location, probably by June.”

Santa Fe had been one of the selling points of the job for her. It meant that she could still easily remain in contact with her friends at the project.

“Oh, then you'll still be in the neighborhood.”

Donna nodded, surprised at his pleased expression. “That's one of the reasons I accepted the job. I wanted to be close to everyone here.”

“Pegasus. They’re an aerospace company.”

“Yes. They’re fairly new.”

“Sounds interesting. I’m sorry I won’t have a chance to work with you though.”

“You might for a little while.”

“You’ll probably be taking Donna’s spot on the team she’s been working with, Sam,” Al told him. “She’ll be the one getting you up to speed.”

Sam beamed at her. “Great.”

Donna glanced at Verbena, who raised her eyebrows at her meaningfully. She was going to get an earful later.


End file.
